Trolley-conductor.



w. HOOPESJGL T. IVARNEY.

TROLLEY CONDUCTQR. L APPLICATION FILED JULY 11. |914. 1

' Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

.. INVENTORS and Wi lliam Hoo es,

Theodo iwlTuesst;

re Vari'iey.

substantial construction able pressure has been necessary to keep-the as ea oasis.

TROLLEY-CONDUCTQB.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patcnted @ct. in, 191.5.

Application filedfi'uly 17, 1914. Serial No. 851,462:

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VVILLJAM Hoorns and Tnnouoan VARNEY, citizens of the United States, and residents of Pittsburgh in the county of Allegheny and State t Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in TrolleyConductors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to overhead electric railway structures and particularly to structures of the so-called catenary type.

One object of our invention is to provlde a composite trolley conductor the parts of which may be easily and cheaply manufactured, and readily and expeditiously asseinbled and attached to a supporting structure.

Another object ofour invention is to provide a conductor of relatively light weight that shall have a large current-carrying capacity and such strength and rigidity as to adapt it to withstand the heavy pressure and shocks of current-collecting devices that are employed upon such railway locomotives and cars as are operated at high speeds.

A further object of our invention is to provide a conductor of the character above indicated that automatically compensates for expansion and contraction, under changes in temperature, without danger of buckling or being subjected to undue strains, at any season of the year or under any operating conditions.

in the operation of railways by electricity, the tendency is toward the use of high voltages and large amounts of power. Hereto fore, when high voltages have been employed, conductor wires of comparatively small cross-section, similar to those nich have been used on so-called trolley roads, have been suspended over the track by means of supporting structure of the catenary or other type. On account of the high voltage and on account of the trouble due to ordinary trolley wheels leaving the wire at high speeds. it has generally been necessary to use some form of sliding shoe or roller collector. Furthermore, on account of the necessity of having the wire suliiciently high above the rail to clear ordinary freight cars having men on them. and also because there are usually low bridges or other obstructions which require the wire to be lowered at certain points, the framework which supports thecollecting shoe has necessarily been of such that very considercollector in contact with the wire. It has also been found that the various forms of small wire conductors suspended over the tracks and kept taut under a relatively high longitudinal stress have caused dilliculty, on account of changes of temperature. Devices, embodying springs, have been tried for maintaining a comparatively uniform tension on the conductor wire but, on acc unt of the high tension, such devices have been very heavy, cumbersome, and, in the main unsatisfactory. The most successful type of stationary conductor which has been used, in so far as the collection of current therefrom by a moving train is concerned, has been the third rail. The reason for this has been that the rail is rigid and has a relatively large amount of transverse stillness so that relatively heavy pressure may be employed in the collecting shoe without producing distortion in the contact. W hen, however, it is necessary to use high voltages, as well as to meet certain other conditions of service. it is advisable to have the conductor overhead rather than beside the track.

Our present invention is designed to combine, in an overhead conductor suitable for use with high voltages, the'inechanical run.- ning qualities of the third rail. F or this purpose we have devised the arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings, in "which Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a portion of an overhead structure embodying our invention, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a view, in side elevation, of a portion of a conductor embodying our invention. Fig. 3 is a View, in. transverse section, of the conductor shown in Fig. Fig. 4: is a plan view of a portion of one of our conductors that is provided with splice bars. Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of one of the splice bars shown in Fig. i, and Fig. 6 is a. side elevational View of a portion of one of our conductors that is provided with a hanger clip. Fig. 7 is a plan view oi? one of the contact pieces of a modified structure. parts being broken ay 'ay. Fig. 8 is a view, in side elevation, and Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view of one of our modified conductors. Fig. 10 is a view, in side elevation oi the adja cent ends of two modified conductor sections and their connecting devices, and Fig. .11 is a sectional view taken on line A-l%. of Fig. 10.

We employ a continuous str'p l of metal comprises a steel catenary of preferably, though not necessarily, rectangular cross section having high electrical conductivity, the thickness of which is small, as compared with its width. For example, a strip of aluminum one-fourth inch thick by two inches wide is suitable for the purpose. The strips 1 may be produced, for convenience in handling, in lengths of three hundred feet or thereabout. They may be rolled up :for shipment and be unrolled and installed at the place of use. Although any one of a variety of means for supporting the strips may be employed, a suitable means cable 2, supporting structures 3, that may be spaced approximately three hundred feet apart, and'hangers curved lower surface.

'1 that may be suitably connected to the conducting strip an d'to the cable at intervals of approximately ten feet. I

Reference being now had particularly to Figs. 2 to 6 of the drawings; in order that the conducting strips 1 may not be wornaway or otherwise injured by the collector, we provide shoes 5 at the lower edge of the strip, which may be of comparatively cheap material and not necessarily of high electrical conductivity, since they are in immediate contact with the conducting strip. F or example, a suitable material for the shoes is galvanized steel. The shoes maybe of any desired and suitable length and may have scarfed ends, as indicated in Fig. 4, in order to present a smooth running joint to the collector.

In order to provide for the difference in expansion between the metal of the conducting strip 1. and tha t of the shoes, the latter may be initially separated, at mean temperature, by gaps of approximately one sixteenth inch each. Each of the shoes may have a plane upper surface and a conveXly face of each shoe 5 are welded clips or hooks 6 to be engaged by spring rods, each of which comprises a short arm 7 and a long arm 8 and the ends of which are of hook form to engage the upper edge of the strip 1. In placing the spring rods in locking position, the hook at the end of the short arm 7 is placed in engagement with the top edge of the strip 1; the body portion isthen caused to engage the corresponding clips 6, and the long arm 8sl1own in broken lines in Fig. 2is engagement of its hook 9 with the upper edge of the strip. The shoes 5 are thus held firmly against the bottom edge of the strip 1 without the use of bolts or rivets and are readily detachal'ile therefrom.

The above described spring rods and clips not only constitute an eflicient, detachable and readily manipulated means for fastening the shoes to the conductor strips, but are also specially desirable for use in alternating current systems because the structure conductor strip as to contraction but prevent any longitudinal To the upper sur-' then bent upward to effectembodies no closed circuits around the trolley conductor, or any part of it, in which currentsmay be set up by induction.

In order to hold alined relation, we provide splice bars 10. that bridge the spaces between the scarfed ends, As shown, each splice bar 10 comprises a body portion 10 of L-shape in cross section that is welded to the upper surface of the corresponding shoe 5, and end portion 10 that is bent laterallyihto a plane above and adjacent to such upper surface to engage clips 11 that are welded to the upper surface of the adjacent shoe. The shoes 5may be provided with angle hanger clips 12 that are also welded to their upper surfaces. In case relatively short shoes are employed, the c'lips 12 will preferably be located substantially at their middle points and each of them will have a recess 12 of U-shape in its upper end, the bottom portion of which registers with a hole 12 in the conductor strip 1. Laterally bent ends of hanger rods, or bolts attached to the hanger rods, project through the holes 12", and shoulders or bolt'heads and nuts serve to clamp the strips rigidly between theclips 12. The above noted construction permits of ready removal of the" shoe, if desired, and also insures an eflicient current path between the shoe and the strip. The l'ffc'on'struction performs the additional function of so anchoring the middle point ofthe shoe to the permit expansion and shifting of the shoe. 7

Referring now to Ffigs;. 7to 11 of the drawings, each shoe 13 is substantially the shape of a letter C laid over on its side, as indicated, though it form, if desired. The shoes may be held in place on the conductor strips by means of clips 14 having substantially the shape of the letter J and clamped to the conducting strip by bolts 15, at intervals of approximately two feet,'or some other suitable attaching devices may be employed. In this modification, the difference in expansion between the metal of the conducting strip and the metal of the wearing shoes, is also met by providing small gaps between the adjacent ends of'the shoes. In order to prevent. the wearing shoes from changing their loca tions on the cond icting strip, one of the metal clips at the middle point of each shoe may be provided with a lug 16 that fits into ,a notch 17 in the shoe.

On account of the longitudinal expansion and contraction of the conductor strips, under changes in temperature, be inserted between the adjacent ends. The springs 18 may have a maximum movement of approximately six inches and may give a maximum tension, when extended, of about five hundred pounds, and a minimum the shoes 5 securely in'i a plane may be of different l springs 18 may menses that the results indicated may be obtained by a comparatively light spring, which will be cheap and will not occupy much space. Springs of any type or kind having suitable strength and resilience may be employed but, as desirable examples, we have shown in the drawings, springs of the leaf type that are disposed at right angles to the strips 1, to the ends of which they are attached by means of members 19. As shown, the members 19 are riveted to the lower ends of the spring members and are pivotally fastened to the ends of the strips. Any suitable auxiliary bonding means for the adjacent ends of the conductor strips may, of course, be employed.

I For the purpose of guidingthe collector smoothly over the joint bet-ween the ends of the strips, we provide side plates 20 the lower edges of which deviate upwardly, m a

slight degree, from a straight line toward their ends and terminate in rounded corners. The side plates are clamped in osition by the bolts 15, and, at one side oi: the joint between the meeting ends of the strips 1, they are provided with longitudinal slots 21 to receive the bolts 15 in order that ex-.

pansion and contraction of the strips 1, under changes in temperature, may not be prevented.

The contact shoes may, of course, be made of the same lengths as the conductor strips or of any other length that ma be desired. If relatively long shoes are emp oyed, it will probably be found necessary or advisable to employ springs between their adjacent ends, that may be similar to those employed between the ends of the conductor strips, as indicated in Fig. 10 of the drawings.

The structural details of our invention may obviously be otherwise variously modilied from what we have specifically shown and described, within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we

H claim as our invention:

.tivity, and relativel 1. An overhead conductor for electric railways comprising long strips of thin and relatively .wide material of high conducshort contact strips clamped to the said ong strips.

' 2. A trolley conductor for electric railways comprising a long strip ofmetal having relatively hlgh conductivity and a plurality of readily replaceable contact pieces of relatively hard metal disposed end-to-end and slightly spaced apart along the said strip.

3. A trolley conductor for electric railways comprising a long strip of good-con- 'metal disposed along the bottom e clips welded to theiriupper surfaces, an spring rods the ends of which are bent over ducting metal and a plurality of readily replaceable contact pieces of relatively hard metal having scar-fed ends and disposed along the said strip with slight spaces hetween them.

4:. A trolley conductor comprising long 1 strips of good-conducting material sup-u i ported end-to-end, relatively short contact shoes of relatively hard material disposed along the bottom edges of said stripsjand adjacent ends of said shoes.

(l. A trolley conductor comprising a long strip of good-conducting material, a plurality of contact pieces having convexly' curved contact surfaces, and spring rods for clamping said pieces to said strip,

'7. A trolleyconductorcomprisinga long strip of good-conducting metal, aplurality of contact pieces disposed end-to-end along the bottom edge of the strip, and means for cllamping said piecesgagainst said bottom e ge.

8. A ways comprising a long metal strip of good conductivity, a plurality of relatively short pieces of relatively hard metal slightly spaced apart along the said'strip, and means for clamping said pieces against independent movement in any direction.

9. A trolley conductor for electric railtrolley' conductor for electric rail-' ways comprising a; long strip of aluminum, q

a plurality of pieces of galvanized steel having convexly curved outer surfaces and scarfed ends, and means for clamping said pieces to the said strip and locking them against independent longitudinal movement.

10. A trolley conductor for electricrailways comprising long end-to-end strips of aluminum, contact shoes of relativel hard dies of said strips and slightly spaced-apart, and

'splice bars for the'adjacent ends of said shoes.

11. A trolley conductor comprising metal strips of relatively high conductivity and contact shoes of relatively hard; metal clamped to the said strips. 12. A trolley conductor comprisin endtail to-end strips of good-conducting meta endto-end shoes of relatively hard metal and -means for detachably clamping the shoes to the bottomedges of the strips.

18. A trolley conductor comprisin end,-

to-end strips of good-conducting meta endto-end shoes of relatively hard metal havin clips.

the upper edges of the strips and intermediate portions of which are engaged by said 14. A trolley conductor comprising a strip of metal of relatively high conductivity, a hard metal shoe having a convex bottom surface and clips welded to its upper surface, and spring rods that engage the upper edge of the strip and said clips.

15. A trolley conductor comprising an aluminum strip and a steel contact shoe detachably connected to said strip and disposed along the same in position to be en- 16. A trolley conductor comprising a metal strip of relatively-high conductivity and a replaceable contact shoe of hard metal electrically connected to said strip and disposed along the same in position to be engaged by a current collector.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 10th day of July,

WILLIAM HOOPES. THEODORE VARNEY. Witnesses:

M. S. TnoMPsoN,

EMMA UHLINGER. 

